WO2023286298A1

WO2023286298A1 - Air-conditioning device

Info

Publication number: WO2023286298A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/003528
Authority: WO
Inventors: 奨太細見; 幸治山口
Original assignee: 三菱電機株式会社
Priority date: 2021-07-14
Filing date: 2022-01-31
Publication date: 2023-01-19
Also published as: WO2023286181A1; US20240060674A1; JPWO2023286298A1; CN117529631A; DE112022003552T5

Abstract

An air-conditioning device comprising: an outdoor unit; and a plurality of indoor units having refrigerant piping connected thereto in which a refrigerant that has been delivered from the outdoor unit flows. Each indoor unit comprises: a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant piping; an operation control unit which controls the refrigerant circuit in accordance with the operation state; a sensor which measures the indoor environment; and a plurality of indoor fans which send air to the evaporator. During a dehumidification operation, the operation control unit controls each of the indoor fans to have a different speed, on the basis of the measurement result from the sensor.

Description

air conditioner

The present disclosure relates to air conditioners.
This application claims priority based on PCT/JP2021/026385 filed internationally on July 14, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein.

　Conventionally, there are heat-pump air conditioners that use a refrigerant circuit, and it is known that these air conditioners have a function of performing a dehumidifying operation. (See Patent Document 1, for example). Patent Literature 1 discloses an air conditioner that controls the heat exchanger temperature and the latent heat ratio by controlling the rotation speed of an indoor fan during dehumidification operation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-153008

However, as in Patent Document 1, the control range of the air volume is narrow only by controlling the rotation speed of one indoor fan. In spite of this, the indoor humidity may not drop so much, and the indoor temperature may drop too much.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and one of the objects thereof is to provide an air conditioner that can dehumidify the room while suppressing an excessive drop in the room temperature.

An air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units connected to refrigerant pipes through which a refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows, wherein the indoor The machine includes a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe, an operation control unit that controls the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state, a temperature sensor that measures a room temperature, and a fan that blows air to the evaporator. and at least two indoor fans that perform dehumidification, and the operation control unit controls the operation of the at least two indoor fans when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a preset temperature threshold during the dehumidification operation. Rotate each of the fans at a first rotational speed, and rotate at least one of the at least two indoor fans at the first rotational speed if the temperature is below the preset temperature threshold. At the same time, the at least one indoor fan other than the indoor fan is rotated at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed.

Further, an air conditioner according to the present disclosure is an air conditioner that includes one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units connected to refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows, The indoor unit includes a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe, an operation control unit that controls the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state, a humidity sensor that measures indoor humidity, and the evaporator. and at least two indoor fans for blowing air, wherein the operation control unit controls the operation of the at least two indoor fans when the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a preset humidity threshold during the dehumidification operation. stopping rotation of at least one indoor fan among the four indoor fans, and stopping rotation of the at least two indoor fans when the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is higher than the preset humidity threshold. maintain.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to dehumidify the room while preventing the room temperature from dropping too much.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment; FIG. The schematic diagram which shows an example of an internal structure of the indoor unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 4 is a ph diagram during cooling operation of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a setting example of a control mode of the indoor fan during dehumidification operation according to the first embodiment; 4 is a timing chart showing an example of indoor fan control during dehumidification operation according to the first embodiment; 4 is a timing chart showing another example of indoor fan control during dehumidification operation according to the first embodiment. The perspective view which shows an example of the indoor space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner which concerns on 2nd Embodiment is installed.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First embodiment>
First, the first embodiment will be described.
[Configuration of air conditioner]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an air conditioner according to this embodiment. The illustrated air conditioner 1 is a multi-type air conditioner in which a plurality of indoor units 3 are connected to one outdoor unit 2 . The air conditioner 1 is installed, for example, in a building, an apartment building, etc., and each of a plurality of indoor units 3 connected to one outdoor unit 2 is installed in a room (a room to be conditioned) that is the target area of each air conditioning. It is The air conditioner 1 has functions of cooling, heating, and dehumidifying each of the indoor spaces in which the plurality of indoor units 3 are installed. The air conditioner 1 may be a device having at least cooling and dehumidifying functions.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which two indoor units 3, an indoor unit 3A and an indoor unit 3B, are connected to one outdoor unit 2. The number of indoor units 3 connected to the outdoor unit 2 may be three or more. The air conditioner 1 has a refrigerant circuit 10 in which an indoor unit 3A and an indoor unit 3B are connected to an outdoor unit 2 by refrigerant pipes.

The outdoor unit 2 is installed outdoors, such as in a building or condominium. The outdoor unit 2 is connected to the indoor unit 3A and the indoor unit 3B by refrigerant pipes, and constitutes part of the refrigerant circuit 10 . That is, the outdoor unit 2, the indoor unit 3A, and the indoor unit 3B are configured such that the refrigerant circulates through the refrigerant pipes. The outdoor unit 2 supplies cold heat or hot heat to the

indoor units

3A and 3B by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit 10 .

The illustrated outdoor unit 2 includes a compressor 21, a switching valve 22 that switches the flow direction of the refrigerant between cooling operation and heating operation, and an outdoor heat exchanger 23 as a heat source side heat exchanger. Each is connected in series via refrigerant piping as part of the refrigerant circuit 10 . The outdoor unit 2 also includes an outdoor fan 24 that blows air to the outdoor heat exchanger 23 .

The indoor unit 3 (3A, 3B) is, for example, a ceiling-embedded type that is embedded in the ceiling of a room such as a building or condominium, a ceiling-mounted type that is suspended from the ceiling, or a wall-mounted type that is hung on an indoor wall surface. is. Here, the basic configurations of the indoor unit 3A and the indoor unit 3B are the same. The indoor unit 3A and the indoor unit 3B will be described as the indoor unit 3 unless otherwise distinguished. The indoor unit 3 receives cooling or heating from the outdoor unit 2 and cools or heats the indoor air in which it is installed.

The illustrated indoor unit 3 includes a throttle device 31 as an expansion mechanism and an indoor heat exchanger 32 as a utilization-side heat exchanger. It is connected. The indoor unit 3 also includes two

indoor fans

33A and 33B that blow air to the indoor heat exchanger 32 . The indoor unit 3 includes a drive section 330 that drives the rotation of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B. The drive unit 330 includes an actuator 331A for driving rotation of the indoor fan 33A and an actuator 331B for driving rotation of the indoor fan 33B.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the indoor unit 3. As shown in FIG. The piping component 30 is provided with an expansion device 31, a refrigerant pipe connecting the expansion device 31 and the indoor heat exchanger 32, and the like. The

indoor fans

33A and 33B are arranged side by side in the direction of the rotation axis X so that the long axis (rotational axis X) direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the indoor heat exchanger 32 . The indoor fans 33</b>A and 33</b>B rotate around the rotation axis X to blow the air taken from the room to the indoor heat exchanger 32 . Due to this air flow, the air heat-exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger 32 is sent out from the indoor unit 3 and returned to the indoor space. During cooling operation, cold air that has been heat-exchanged and cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 32 is sent indoors. During the heating operation, warm air heated by heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger 32 is delivered indoors. As the number of rotations of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B is increased to a higher rotation speed, the amount of air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 32 increases, and the amount of cold air or warm air sent into the room increases.

In this embodiment, one indoor fan is normally provided, whereas two

indoor fans

33A and 33B divided in the direction of the long axis (rotational axis X) are provided. Here, each of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B blows air to the indoor heat exchanger 32 in a range approximately half that of a single indoor fan, and the amount of air to be heat-exchanged is also approximately half. shall be That is, when one indoor fan and two

indoor fans

33A and 33B obtained by dividing one indoor fan are rotated at the same rotational speed, the capacity of each of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B (cooling or heating) capacity) corresponds to about half the capacity of one indoor fan. In other words, the capacity of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B collectively corresponds to the capacity of one indoor fan.

Although the case where two

indoor fans

33A and 33B are mounted is illustrated here, three or more may be mounted. In that case, the indoor unit 3 is provided with the number of actuators for driving each indoor fan according to the number of indoor fans. When three or more indoor fans are installed, the number of indoor fans may not match the number of actuators. That is, a configuration may be adopted in which a part of two or more actuators drives a plurality of indoor fans.

Returning to FIG. 1, the indoor unit 3 includes an operation control unit 40. The operation control unit 40 controls the refrigerant circuit 10 according to the operating state such as cooling or heating. Further, the operation control unit 40 controls the rotation and stop of the indoor fan 33A, the number of revolutions (rotational speed) during rotation, and the like by controlling the actuator 331A. Further, the operation control unit 40 controls the rotation and stop of the indoor fan 33B, the number of revolutions (rotational speed) during rotation, and the like by controlling the actuator 331B. That is, the operation control unit 40 can individually control the indoor fan 33A and the indoor fan 33B.

Also, the indoor unit 3 is equipped with a sensor that measures the indoor environment. For example, the indoor unit 3 includes a temperature sensor 41 for measuring indoor temperature and a humidity sensor 42 for measuring indoor humidity. The operation control unit 40 controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the operating conditions set by the user (for example, temperature setting, air volume setting, etc.), the measurement results of the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42, and the like. . In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 shall be provided in the indoor fan 33A side among the

indoor fans

33A and 33B.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a ph diagram when the air conditioner 1 is in cooling operation. An operation example of the air conditioner will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. First, in the outdoor unit 2, a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 21 and discharged as a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant (point a shown in FIG. 2). The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 23 . The refrigerant that has flowed into the outdoor heat exchanger 23 is condensed and liquefied while radiating heat to the outdoor air by the blowing action of the outdoor fan 24 (point b shown in FIG. 2).

After that, the high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has flowed out of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 is decompressed by the expansion device 31 to become a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant (point c in FIG. 2), and flows out of the outdoor unit 2 . The low-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed out of the outdoor unit 2 flows into the indoor unit 3 and into the indoor heat exchanger 32, where it absorbs heat from the air due to the blowing action of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B, thereby evaporating gas (shown in FIG. 2). point d). At this time, the room is cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 32 and the

indoor fans

33A and 33B. After that, the refrigerant flows into the outdoor unit 2 and is sucked into the compressor 21 again.

Here, in addition to the cooling operation described above, the air conditioner 1 has a function of dehumidifying the interior of the room. In the dehumidification operation, the air conditioner 1 performs a weak cooling dehumidification operation in which the same refrigerant flow (cooling cycle) as in the cooling operation is performed so that the sensible heat factor (SHF) is lower than that in the cooling operation. .

Conventionally, when dehumidifying operation (weak cooling and dehumidifying operation) was performed, the indoor temperature would drop more than necessary, and comfort could be impaired. In the dehumidification operation (weak cooling dehumidification operation), in order to make the sensible heat ratio lower than that in the cooling operation, for example, it is possible to control the refrigerant temperature in the indoor heat exchanger 32 and the air volume of the indoor fan.

However, in the case of the multi-type air conditioner 1 as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the indoor unit 3A may perform the dehumidifying operation, while the indoor unit 3B may perform the cooling operation. That is, when a plurality of indoor units 3 are connected, the refrigerant temperature cannot be determined by the operating state of one indoor unit 3 . Therefore, it is necessary to lower the sensible heat ratio during the dehumidifying operation than during the cooling operation by controlling the air volume of the indoor fan without relying on the control of the refrigerant temperature in the indoor heat exchanger 32 . Moreover, in order to measure the indoor environment, it is necessary to pass air through the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 provided in the indoor unit 3 . Therefore, when there is only one indoor fan as in the conventional art, the air volume setting range is narrowed, and it is difficult to lower the sensible heat ratio.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, at least two of the plurality of indoor units 3 (here, the

indoor units

3A and 3B) are operating in the cooling cycle, and at least one of them is performing the dehumidifying operation. The indoor unit 3 performing the dehumidifying operation individually controls the air volume of each of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B. For example, the operation control unit 40 controls the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B at different rotation speeds. As described above, the capacity of each of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B is about half of the capacity of the indoor fan combining the

indoor fans

33A and 33B, so the

indoor fans

33A and 33B can be operated at different rotation speeds. By controlling, the air volume can be adjusted more finely. As a result, the air volume can be set in a wider range, and the sensible heat ratio can be appropriately controlled.

For example, if one indoor fan has an air volume of "1" when operated at the lowest speed, if this air volume of "1" is to be realized with two

indoor fans

33A and 33B as in the present application, two indoor fans When the

fans

33A and 33B are operated at the lowest speed, the air volume is approximately half of "0.5" each. Then, if one of the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B is operated so that it rotates at the lowest speed and the remaining indoor fans are stopped, the air volume is not "1" It can be "0.5". As a result, compared with the case of using one indoor fan, the amount of air can be reduced when using a plurality of indoor fans, so the range in which the amount of air can be set can be widened. Since the setting range of the air volume can be widened, the sensible heat ratio can be controlled more appropriately.

In addition, when the indoor fan is rotating after reaching the set humidity, the moisture adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 32 evaporates, and the room may be humidified even though the dehumidifying operation is being performed. .

Therefore, the operation control unit 40 not only widens the setting range of the air volume by rotating the two

indoor fans

33A and 33B at different rotation speeds, but also stops the rotation of the indoor fan to be rotated among the

indoor fans

33A and 33B. You may mix with the indoor fan which carries out. For example, the operation control unit 40 rotates the indoor fan 33A to maintain airflow to the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42, thereby enabling measurement of the indoor temperature and humidity, and stopping the indoor fan 33B. Re-evaporation of moisture can be suppressed by suppressing the amount of air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 32 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a setting example of the control mode of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B during dehumidification operation. In this figure, the vertical axis is the room temperature Tin measured by the temperature sensor 41, and a first temperature threshold T1ref and a second temperature threshold T2ref lower than the first temperature threshold T1ref are set in advance. It is On the other hand, the horizontal axis represents the indoor humidity RH measured by the humidity sensor 42. A first humidity threshold RH1ref and a second humidity threshold RH2ref lower than the first humidity threshold RH1ref are set in advance. there is The control modes of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B are classified and set according to threshold values of indoor temperature and indoor humidity.

Here, the setting of the number of revolutions as the control mode of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B is classified into "high speed rotation", "low speed rotation", and "stop". "High-speed rotation" is high-speed rotation controlled to be relatively higher than "low-speed rotation". "Low speed rotation" is low speed rotation controlled to be relatively lower than "high speed rotation". "Stop" is a state in which rotation is stopped.

When the indoor temperature Tin is higher than the first temperature threshold value T1ref, both the

indoor fans

33A and 33B are set to rotate at high speed regardless of the indoor humidity RH. When the indoor temperature Tin is lower than the first temperature threshold value T1ref but higher than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, the indoor fan 33A is set to rotate at high speed and the indoor fan 33B is set to rotate at low speed regardless of the indoor humidity RH. .

When the indoor temperature Tin is equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, and the indoor humidity RH is higher than the first humidity threshold value RH1ref, the indoor fan 33A gradually decelerates at a predetermined rate from high speed rotation to low speed rotation. It is set to shift, and the indoor fan 33B is set to rotate at a low speed. Further, when the indoor temperature Tin is equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold value T2ref and the indoor humidity RH is equal to or lower than the first humidity threshold value RH1ref, the indoor fan 33A is set to rotate at a low speed and the indoor fan 33B is set to stop. .

The operation control unit 40 refers to the control mode settings shown in FIG. 4 and controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the indoor temperature measured by the temperature sensor 41 and the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor 42.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing an example of control of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B during dehumidification operation. In this figure, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents indoor humidity RH, indoor temperature Tin, and control of

indoor fans

33A and 33B.

In the period from time tm0 to tm2, the room temperature Tin and the room humidity RH start to gradually decrease from time tm1, but the room temperature Tin is higher than the first temperature threshold value T1ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 controls both the

indoor fans

33A and 33B to rotate at high speed regardless of the indoor humidity RH.

When the indoor temperature Tin becomes equal to or lower than the first temperature threshold value T1ref at time tm2, the operation control unit 40 changes the indoor fan 33B to rotate at a low speed while the indoor fan 33A rotates at a high speed. As a result, the sensible heat ratio decreases, and the decrease in the indoor temperature is suppressed compared to before the indoor fan 33B is changed to the low speed rotation. However, although the rate of decrease in the room temperature decreased, the room temperature gradually decreased even under this control.

At time tm3, the indoor humidity RH becomes equal to or lower than the first humidity threshold RH1ref, but the room temperature Tin is between the first temperature threshold T1ref and the second temperature threshold T2ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 continuously controls the indoor fan 33A to rotate at high speed and the indoor fan 33B to rotate at low speed until time tm4. As a result, the indoor humidity gradually decreases, but the indoor temperature also gradually decreases.

Next, at time tm4, the room temperature Tin becomes lower than or equal to the second temperature threshold value T2ref. At time tm4, the indoor temperature Tin becomes lower than or equal to the second temperature threshold value T2ref, and the indoor humidity RH is also lower than the first humidity threshold value RH1ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 stops the indoor fan 33B while changing the indoor fan 33A from high-speed rotation to low-speed rotation. As a result, the operation control unit 40 can further suppress the cooling effect and prevent the indoor temperature from dropping too much. Moreover, the operation control unit 40 can continuously measure the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity by controlling the indoor fan 33A to rotate at a low speed without stopping the indoor fan 33A.

After that, the room temperature Tin gradually rises after time tm5 because the rotation of the indoor fan 33B has stopped. However, at time tm5 and time tm6, the indoor temperature Tin is lower than or equal to the second temperature threshold value T2ref, and the indoor humidity RH is lower than or equal to the second humidity threshold value RH2ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 controls the indoor fan 33A to rotate at a low speed and the indoor fan 33B to stop.

When the indoor temperature Tin becomes higher than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, the operation control unit 40 changes the indoor fan 33A to high speed rotation and the stopped indoor fan 33B to low speed rotation.

Thereafter, the operation control unit 40 stops the indoor fan 33B (indoor fan 33A is low speed rotation), and when the indoor temperature Tin becomes higher than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, the indoor fan 33B is rotated at low speed (indoor fan 33A is rotated at high speed). The operation control unit 40 performs fine adjustment by repeating this control, and can perform a dehumidification operation that realizes a comfortable temperature/humidity environment that maintains a constant humidity while suppressing an excessive drop in the room temperature.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing another example of control of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B during dehumidification operation. FIG. 6 shows an example of control of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B during the dehumidification operation in an operating state different from that in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 32 (≈blowing temperature) does not fall below the dew point temperature and the humidity does not easily decrease. As in FIG. 5, the horizontal axis represents the time, and the vertical axis represents the indoor humidity RH, the indoor temperature Tin, and the control of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B.

During the period from time tm0' to tm1', the room temperature Tin is higher than the first temperature threshold value T1ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 controls both the

indoor fans

33A and 33B to rotate at high speed regardless of the indoor humidity RH.

When the indoor temperature Tin becomes equal to or lower than the first temperature threshold value T1ref at time tm1', the operation control unit 40 changes the indoor fan 33B to rotate at a low speed while keeping the indoor fan 33A rotating at a high speed. When the air volume drops, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 32 drops, so that the temperature drops below the dew point temperature, and the humidity starts to drop. However, the indoor temperature gradually decreases.

At time tm2', the room temperature Tin becomes equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold T2ref, but the room humidity RH is higher than the first humidity threshold RH1ref. Therefore, the operation control unit 40 gradually changes the indoor fan 33A from high-speed rotation to low-speed rotation. The indoor fan 33B remains rotating at low speed.

When the indoor humidity RH becomes equal to or lower than the first humidity threshold RH1ref at time tm3', the operation control unit 40 stops the indoor fan 33B while controlling the indoor fan 33A to rotate at a low speed. The operation control unit 40 stops the rotation of the indoor fan 33B to further suppress the cooling effect due to the decrease in the indoor humidity. This prevents the indoor temperature from dropping too much. Further, the operation control unit 40 can continue to measure the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity by controlling the indoor fan 33A to rotate at a low speed.

After that, the room temperature Tin gradually rises due to the stoppage of the rotation of the indoor fan 33B. The operation control unit 40 controls the indoor fan 33A to rotate at a low speed and the indoor fan 33B to stop.

When the indoor temperature Tin becomes higher than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, the operation control unit 40 changes the indoor fan 33A to high speed rotation, and rotates the stopped indoor fan 33B to control low speed rotation.

Further, by providing a width between the first temperature threshold T1ref and the second temperature threshold T2ref and between the first humidity threshold RH1ref and the second humidity threshold RH2ref, It is possible to form a comfortable space suitable for the target indoor conditions, and to prevent hunting when the operation is switched.

As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment includes an outdoor unit 2 and a plurality of indoor units 3 to which refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit 2 flows are connected. The indoor unit 3 includes a refrigerant circuit 10 in which at least the indoor heat exchanger 32 is connected to a refrigerant pipe, an operation control unit 40 that controls the refrigerant circuit 10 according to the operating state, and a sensor that measures the indoor environment (for example, temperature sensor 41 , humidity sensor 42 ), and a plurality of

indoor fans

33 A and 33 B for blowing air to the indoor heat exchanger 32 . During the dehumidification operation, the operation control unit 40 controls the plurality of

indoor fans

33A and 33B at different rotation speeds based on the measurement results of the sensors (for example, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42).

As a result, the air conditioner 1 can control each of the plurality of

indoor fans

33A and 33B at different rotation speeds based on the indoor environment measurement results. It becomes possible to control the ratio, and it is possible to dehumidify the room while preventing the room temperature from dropping too much. Therefore, the air conditioner 1 can realize a comfortable temperature and humidity environment by maintaining a constant humidity while suppressing an excessive drop in the indoor temperature through the dehumidifying operation that matches the indoor environment.

In addition, in the indoor unit 3 having a plurality of

indoor fans

33A and 33B, if the

indoor fans

33A and 33B are operated at the same number of revolutions, an offensive sound (beating sound) may occur. However, since the air conditioning apparatus 1 can individually control the plurality of

indoor fans

33A and 33B at different rotation speeds, it is possible to perform quiet operation with reduced beat noise.

During the dehumidifying operation, the operation control unit 40 stops the rotation of the indoor fan among the plurality of

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the measurement results of the sensors (for example, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42). Control by mixing with indoor fans.

As a result, the air conditioner 1, for example, rotates the indoor fan 33A to maintain airflow to the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42, thereby enabling measurement of the indoor temperature and humidity, while stopping the indoor fan 33B. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the amount of air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 32 and suppress the re-evaporation of moisture. Therefore, the air conditioner 1 can realize a comfortable temperature and humidity environment by maintaining a constant humidity while suppressing an excessive drop in the indoor temperature through the dehumidifying operation that matches the indoor environment. That is, the air conditioner 1 can dehumidify the room while preventing the room temperature from dropping too much.

For example, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 41 is higher than the first temperature threshold value T1ref, the operation control unit 40 rotates each of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B at high speed (first rotation speed). rotate. On the other hand, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 41 is equal to or lower than the first temperature threshold value T1ref, the operation control unit 40 selects some of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B (for example, the indoor fan 33A) is rotated at high speed (first rotation speed), and indoor fans other than the part of the indoor fans (for example, indoor fan 33B) are rotated at low speed (second rotation lower than the first rotation speed number).

As a result, the air conditioner 1 can individually and appropriately control the

indoor fans

33A and 33B according to the room temperature, and can dehumidify the room while preventing the room temperature from dropping too much.

Further, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 41 is equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, which is lower than the first temperature threshold value T1ref, the operation control unit 40 controls the part of the indoor fans (for example, , indoor fan 33A) is rotated at a low speed (second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed), and the rotation of indoor fans other than the part of the indoor fans (for example, indoor fan 33B) is stopped. .

indoor fans

Further, even when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 41 is equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold value T2ref, the operation control unit 40 determines that the humidity measured by the humidity sensor 42 is higher than the first humidity threshold value RH1ref. In this case, the plurality of indoor fans are rotated at a low speed (second speed lower than the first speed) without stopping the rotation. That is, when the humidity measured by the humidity sensor 42 is higher than the first humidity threshold value RH1ref, the operation control unit 40 keeps the indoor fans rotating.

indoor fans

33A and 33B according to the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity, thereby dehumidifying the room while suppressing an excessive drop in the indoor temperature. can be done.

After a certain period of time, the operation control unit 40 switches between an indoor fan that rotates at a relatively high speed (for example, the indoor fan 33A) and an indoor fan that rotates at a relatively low speed (for example, the indoor fan 33B). may

As a result, the air conditioner 1 switches between a high-speed rotating indoor fan and a low-speed rotating indoor fan at a constant frequency, thereby increasing the life of the electric motors (for example,

actuators

331A and 331B) that rotate the respective indoor fans. can be lengthened.

Note that the operation control unit 40 may switch between the rotating indoor fan (for example, the indoor fan 33A) and the stopping indoor fan (for example, the indoor fan 33B) after a certain period of time has elapsed. When the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 are provided on the side of the indoor fan 33A as shown in FIG. Even if the fan 33A is stopped, if the indoor fan 33B is rotating, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 also take in air from the room as long as the intake air paths of the respective indoor fans are not completely partitioned. can be used to measure the indoor environment. Moreover, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 may be provided near the middle between the indoor fan 33A and the indoor fan 33B. Further, as in the second embodiment described later, when the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 are provided in a place other than the indoor unit 3, even if either the indoor fan 33A or the indoor fan 33B is stopped, It does not affect indoor environment measurements.

In this way, the air conditioner 1 switches the indoor fan to be rotated and the indoor fan to be stopped at a constant frequency, thereby prolonging the life of the electric motors (for example, the

actuators

331A and 331B) that rotate the respective indoor fans. be able to.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the configuration example in which the sensor provided in the indoor unit 3 measures the indoor environment has been described, but the sensor that measures the indoor environment may be provided in addition to the indoor unit 3 .

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of an indoor space in which the indoor unit 3 of the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment is installed. Here, an example in which a ceiling-embedded indoor unit 3 is installed is shown. Since the indoor unit 3 is installed on the ceiling, it is installed at a position away from the space near the floor where people are present. This may be aimed at preventing the wind blowing from the indoor unit 3 from hitting people directly, but because of the distance, the environment in the space where people are present and the environment near the indoor unit 3 may differ greatly. . Note that the place where the indoor unit 3 is installed and the space where people are present may be distant not only in the ceiling-mounted type, but also in the case of the ceiling-suspended type or the wall-mounted type. In such a case, if the

indoor fans

33A and 33B are controlled based on the environment measured by the sensor that measures the indoor environment provided in the indoor unit 3, there is a possibility that comfort will be significantly reduced.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a separate sensor 43 that measures the indoor environment is provided at a location other than the indoor unit 3 . For example, the separate sensor 43 is provided inside the remote control 51 or on the outer surface of the housing. The remote controller 51 is a remote controller for remotely operating the indoor unit 3, and is connected to the indoor unit 3 by wire or wirelessly. The separate sensor 43 includes at least one or both of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. By acquiring the measurement results of the indoor temperature and indoor humidity from the separate sensor 43, the operation control unit 40 can acquire the temperature and humidity of a place closer to the space where people are present.

For example, the operation control unit 40 rotates and stops the

indoor fans

33A and 33B by controlling the

actuators

331A and 331B based on the measurement results of the separate sensor 43, and the number of rotations (rotational speed) during rotation. etc. to control. In this way, the operation control unit 40 can perform the dehumidifying operation without reducing comfort by controlling the indoor fan based on the measurement result of the separate sensor 43 provided in the remote control 51.

When the operation control unit 40 controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the measurement results of the separate sensor 43, the indoor unit 3 may be configured without the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42. Further, the operation control unit 40 controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the measurement results of the separate sensor 43 without using the measurement results of the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 provided in the indoor unit 3. good too.

The operation control unit 40 controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on both the measurement results of the separate sensor 43 and the measurement results of the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 provided in the indoor unit 3. good too. For example, the operation control unit 40 is based on the measurement result of the sensor with the lower measured temperature among the measurement result of the separate sensor 43 and the measurement result of the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 provided in the indoor unit 3. may control the

indoor fans

33A and 33B. Further, the operation control unit 40 controls the operation of the

indoor fans

33A and 33B based on the average or weighted average of the measurement results of the separate sensor 43 and the measurement results of the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 provided in the indoor unit 3. may be controlled.

As described above, in the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment, the sensors that measure the indoor environment (for example, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42) are provided at locations other than the indoor unit 3.

As a result, even if the place where the indoor unit 3 is installed and the space where people are present are separated, the air conditioner 1 uses a sensor (for example, a temperature sensor 41, a humidity sensor, etc.) for measuring the indoor environment. 42) can be installed in the vicinity of a space where people are present, so that appropriate operation can be performed according to the indoor environment.

For example, sensors for measuring the indoor environment (for example, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42) are provided in the remote control 51 for operating the indoor unit 3.

As a result, since the remote controller 51 operated by a person is provided with sensors for measuring the indoor environment (for example, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42), the air conditioner 1 operates appropriately according to the indoor environment. It can be carried out. In addition, since the air conditioner 1 can acquire the measurement result of the sensor using communication with the remote control 51, it can be easily realized at a lower cost than separately preparing a sensor device having a communication function.

As described above, each embodiment has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and each embodiment may be combined, modified, or omitted as appropriate. It is possible to

Although the remote controller 51 has been illustrated as an example of a terminal device that communicates with the indoor unit 3, a smart phone, a tablet-type PC (Personal Computer), or the like may be used instead of the remote controller 51. Further, a smartphone or a tablet PC may be provided with a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the operation control unit 40 included in the indoor unit 3 controls the

indoor fans

33A and 33B. The measurement results may be obtained to control the

indoor fans

33A and 33B of the plurality of indoor units 3 (3A and 3B).

Also, as described above, the number of indoor units 3 connected to the outdoor unit 2 is not limited to two, and may be three or more. Moreover, the number of indoor fans included in one indoor unit 3 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

A program for realizing the functions of the operation control unit 40 is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded in this recording medium is read into a computer system and executed. processing may be performed. It should be noted that the “computer system” here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices.

In addition, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" means a medium that dynamically retains a program for a short period of time, like a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. It includes things that hold programs for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory inside a computer system that serves as a server or a client in that case. Further, the program may be for realizing part of the functions described above, or may be capable of realizing the functions described above in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. Alternatively, the above program may be stored in a predetermined server, and distributed (downloaded, etc.) via a communication line in response to a request from another device.

Also, some or all of the functions of the operation control unit 40 may be implemented as an integrated circuit such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration). Each function may be individually processorized, or part or all may be integrated and processorized. Also, the method of circuit integration is not limited to LSI, but may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. In addition, when an integration circuit technology that replaces LSI appears due to advances in semiconductor technology, an integrated circuit based on this technology may be used.

1 air conditioner, 2 outdoor unit, 3 (3A, 3B) indoor unit, 10 refrigerant circuit, 21 compressor, 22 switching valve, 23 outdoor heat exchanger, 24 outdoor fan, 30 piping parts, 31 expansion device, 32 indoor Heat exchanger, 33A, 33B indoor fan, 330 drive section, 331A, 331B actuator, 40 operation control section, 41 temperature sensor, 42 humidity sensor

Claims

An air conditioner comprising one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units connected to refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows,
The indoor unit
a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe;
an operation control unit that controls the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state;
a temperature sensor that measures the room temperature;
at least two indoor fans for blowing air to the evaporator;
with
The operation control unit is
During the dehumidification operation, if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a preset temperature threshold, each of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at a first rotation speed, and the preset When the temperature is equal to or lower than the temperature threshold, at least one of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at the first rotation speed, and indoor fans other than the at least one indoor fan are rotated at the first speed. Rotate at a second rotational speed lower than the rotational speed;
Air conditioner.
An air conditioner comprising one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units connected to refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows,
The indoor unit
a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe;
an operation control unit that controls the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state;
a humidity sensor for measuring indoor humidity;
at least two indoor fans for blowing air to the evaporator;
with
The operation control unit is
During dehumidifying operation, if the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or less than a preset humidity threshold, at least one of the at least two indoor fans stops rotating;
maintaining rotation of the at least two indoor fans when the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is higher than the preset humidity threshold;
Air conditioner.
A first temperature threshold as the preset temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold lower in temperature than the first temperature threshold are preset,
The operation control unit is
When the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the first temperature threshold, each of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at a first rotation speed, and is equal to or lower than the first temperature threshold and the When the temperature is higher than the second temperature threshold, at least one of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at the first rotation speed, and indoor fans other than the at least one indoor fan are rotated at the first speed. rotating at a second rotation speed lower than the one rotation speed, and rotating each of the at least two indoor fans at the second rotation speed when the temperature is equal to or lower than the second temperature threshold;
The air conditioner according to claim 1.
Equipped with a temperature sensor that measures the room temperature,
The operation control unit is
if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is below a preset temperature threshold and the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is below a preset humidity threshold, the at least two indoor Rotation of at least one indoor fan among the fans is stopped, and even if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the preset temperature threshold, the humidity measured by the humidity sensor is reduced to the maintaining rotation of the at least two indoor fans if higher than a preset humidity threshold;
The air conditioner according to claim 2.
A first temperature threshold whose temperature is higher than the preset temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold as the preset temperature threshold are set in advance,
The operation control unit is
When the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the first temperature threshold, each of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at a first rotation speed, and is equal to or lower than the first temperature threshold and the When the temperature is higher than the second temperature threshold, at least one of the at least two indoor fans is rotated at the first rotation speed, and indoor fans other than the at least one indoor fan are rotated at the first speed. Rotate at a second rotation speed lower than the rotation speed of
The air conditioner according to claim 4.
The operation control unit is
After a certain period of time, the indoor fan that rotates at a relatively high speed and the indoor fan that rotates at a relatively low speed are switched.
The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 3.
The operation control unit is
After a certain period of time, switch between the indoor fan that rotates and the indoor fan that stops rotating.
The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 4.
The sensor is provided at a location other than the indoor unit,
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The sensor is provided in a remote controller for operating the indoor unit,
The air conditioner according to claim 8.